Strut wear after Motofab 2.5" level on ORP.

[Whiskey_tango]

I noticed the dirt shield is rubbing the strut body pretty severely. I suspect it's due to the strut hat angle. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[VaderRebel]

Not that I've noticed, but I haven't really looked since initially installing. Did you also install new UCA's? Curious.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Yes, installed the Readylift UCAs. According to Motofab, they suggest the strut hat may need to be rotated 180 degrees due to the slight hat angle on some off-road models. I am not looking forward to pulling the struts to accomplish this. I would really rather have some decent aftermarket coilovers to go back in.

I can actually feel grooves where this rubbing is occurring, not just paint being scratched.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Pic of spring tag for rsonedecker

 

[rsonedecker]

Wait, is the dust cover plastic or metal? (dumb question from a guy who hasn't received his truck yet or he'd know).

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Wait, is the dust cover plastic or metal? (dumb question from a guy who hasn't received his truck yet or he'd know).

It's actually really soft plastic, almost rubberlike.

 

[rsonedecker]

It's actually really soft plastic, almost rubberlike.

Okay, that's what I thought, so my second (maybe) dumb question is how in the world could it rub that paint off and cause grooves? Are you sure it wasn't always there, and is just coincidentally in-line with where that boot is? Could it have been caused during install of the kit?

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Okay, that's what I thought, so my second (maybe) dumb question is how in the world could it rub that paint off and cause grooves? Are you sure it wasn't always there, and is just coincidentally in-line with where that boot is? Could it have been caused during install of the kit?

My guess is it's trapping grit between itself and the strut body since it's no longer concentric to the strut and instead wedged up against it.

 

[rsonedecker]

My guess is it's trapping grit between itself and the strut body since it's no longer concentric to the strut and instead wedged up against it.

That makes more sense, but I still wonder how it (a very flexible rubber) could be producing that amount of down-force on the grit and grime to cause grooves in the metal, but I could be completely wrong. How long has the top-hat been installed? Perhaps you can watch it and see if it gets worse, which would tell you it wasn't a point-in-time event, but is indeed happening while driving.

Edit: It's way too coincidental that it lines up perfectly with the contact point of the cover, it has to be the cover in some way doing it. Is it happening on both sides?

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Yes, this is occurring on both sides.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

I'm pretty sure the Daystar level would resolve this issue since it doesn't require the strut to be rotated 180. Probably won't have time to mess with anything until next weekend.

Really curious if any other ORP guys with the Motofab spacer are seeing this issue.

 

[rsonedecker]

Is an option to remove the assembly and compress the spring and reorient the top strut mount a bit in order for it to be level and/or so that the top-hat spacer is oriented correctly without 180 degree rotation? What is causing the 1" taller ORP Strut assembly to have an angled top strut mount?

Interested in this thread because I plan to put a 2" spacer on top of an ORP strut assembly.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Is an option to remove the assembly and compress the spring and reorient the top strut mount a bit in order for it to be level and/or so that the top-hat spacer is oriented correctly without 180 degree rotation? What is causing the 1" taller ORP Strut assembly to have an angled top strut mount?

Interested in this thread because I plan to put a 2" spacer on top of an ORP strut assembly.

Yes it's possible to compress the spring and rotate the hat 180. My concern is I don't know what produces the angle. If the angle is in the upper spring pad then rotating the metal hat would not do anything.

I definitely don't want to tear back into this once again without having a solid plan to make it work. That's why I am leaning towards the Daystar kit at least as a backup if this cannot be remedied with the 180 rotation.

 

[rsonedecker]

I looked at the daystars myself, was concerned about extending the bolts like the kit does and what that meant to strength.

My thought about rotation is that you would be able to orient the strut as it was originally (not 180) which would keep the angle as it was originally stock, because you only have to move the top strut mount just a little bit in order for the top-hat spacer to be in the correct orientation. The reason you rotate the strut is because there are only 3 bolts in a triangular pattern, and the top hat spacer changes the position of the bolts. I've seen a lot of installs where the strut was not put back in 180 degrees (it was put back in the original position), and the installer just simply put a pry bar in there and forced the strut to rotate enough to bolt it back in (which is essentially just rotating the top while bolted in).

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Pic of spring tag for rsonedecker

So I checked your spring number against mine. I do not have the ORP. And my spring has a different part number. I have yet to see anyone verify the difference between the struts on the ORP to determine exactly how the 1 " lift is obtained as there are multiple ways to do it. By chance could you snap a picture of the strut part number itself? i'm wondering if they use the same strut and just put a higher spring rate coil so that the truck rides higher in its travel and the uncompressed strut length stays the same.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

So I checked your spring number against mine. I do not have the ORP. And my spring has a different part number. I have yet to see anyone verify the difference between the struts on the ORP to determine exactly how the 1 " lift is obtained as there are multiple ways to do it. By chance could you snap a picture of the strut part number itself? i'm wondering if they use the same strut and just put a higher spring rate coil so that the truck rides higher in its travel and the uncompressed strut length stays the same.

Here's the strut tag. Looks like different P/N.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Here's the strut tag. Looks like different P/N.

Yup different spring and different strut, I did look at mine and the plastic boot is pretty close to the strut body on the inside of each strut on both sides, I'm going to try to get underneath it tomorrow and see if it's wearing the strut like on yours. If it is I'll probably just cut it off with a razor blade. I'm just waiting on decent replacement struts from Billstein or Falcon to be released.

 

[rsonedecker]

I have another post floating around here, but I verified that the ORP struts are 1” longer at rest (the piston Rod, not the body), and the springs are different part numbers as well. In fact, I have verified that the REAR springs AND shocks both are longer as well (not just the spring). I believe the lift, both front and rear, is achieved through springs, with the shocks and struts extended as well to support the proper travel.

Edit: Here's my numbers I've gathered so far (I actually have a set of ORP struts and shocks)
https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/4×4-off-road-package.949/page-4#post-95329

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

I have another post floating around here, but I verified that the ORP struts are 1” longer at rest (the piston Rod, not the body), and the springs are different part numbers as well. In fact, I have verified that the REAR springs AND shocks both are longer as well (not just the spring). I believe the lift, both front and rear, is achieved through springs, with the shocks and struts extended as well to support the proper travel.

Edit: Here's my numbers I've gathered so far (I actually have a set of ORP struts and shocks)

Off Road:
Front Spring - 68320249AB
Front Shock/Strut - 68277314AC
Rear Spring - 68262686AB
Rear Shock - 68262592AC

Stock:
Front Spring: 68320236AB
Front Shock/strut: 68277312AC
Rear Spring: 68262675AB
Rear Shock: 68262590AC

So if I'm following you correctly, The distance from the lower mounting bolt center line to the spring perch is the same, The rod is a little longer and the spring is a little taller? It was PITA squeezing the non ORP assembly back in place with a 2.5" spacer on top. The ORP strut assembly must be a royal PITA to get back in there. I'm guessing the compete strut assy is about 5/8"-3/4" longer than the non ORP version.

 

[rsonedecker]

Correct on the strut. The body is the same, the piston rod just extends 1” more out of the body. As for the spring, that’s an assumption until I actually receive it. The assumption is based on the fact that the physical body on the strut isn’t different, so I’m assuming the lift has to be coming from a longer and/or higher rate spring.

The lift definitely is caused by the springs:
https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/4×4-off-road-package.949/page-4#post-95329

There’s more detail in the 4x4 Off road group thread in this same Forum area.